Altus Inceptum: Memories of the Forgotten
by Fyremage
Summary: A once great Sith Lord finds himself exiled from his own people after a failed bid to overthrow his former Masters, and reflects on his past both good and bad. Meanwhile, after the loss of his master during a failed attempt to capture the Sith, a shaken and uncertain Jedi Knight confronts his inner demons and grows to meet the destiny he was always meant to fulfill.
1. Revelations

Altus Inceptum: Memories of the Forgotten

Chapter 1: Revelations

Tatooine… A barren wasteland whose sands spread on as far as the eye could see, its suns cruel eyes of raw power gazing down at the wretched beings unfortunate enough to live under them. If the sand dunes could speak, they would tell a story that could span a millennia in the telling, from a time of the ancients of legend who lived when it was a fruitful and ripe world, to the fateful day a man named Revan walked amongst these same dunes on his quest for retribution and revenge.

These very sands would recount events many would give all to see and hear, but they would also tell the tales of those who have been forgotten: from the unnamed remains of hapless adventurers, the faceless Sand People who no one seemingly understood, to the Jedi Master laying on his back by the smoking remains of what used to be an underground bunker. His light brown hair shone in the sunlight, the spot of skin at the crown of his head reflecting the bright light even more so. His breath grew ragged, flecks of blood speckling his lips, cheeks, and neck. This was all outdone by the stub remaining at his right arm where there once was a forearm, cauterized flesh and bone releasing a distinct and unmistakable aroma along with a deep, smoldering wound in his lower chest cavity.

Standing over the Jedi Master stood his apprentice, another human male with deep, jet black hair with a braid hanging down, his crisp blue eyes regarding his fallen master as he drew in breath after breath, his hands resting atop his knees as he tried to compose himself. Moments earlier they were facing down one of the most dangerous men in known space within his private bunker, his master and he near victory with all but everything decided. Then, one missing arm and massive self-destruct sequence later, they ended up barely escaping with their lives, with the coward fleeing to the force knew where.

"Come master, we have to get you back to the ship quickly. If we can get BD-5 working on you, and navigate to the nearest outpost, we'll-"

"No…" The Jedi Master said faintly, laboriously drawing breath to give life to the words he deemed important enough to share with his protégé at this moment… the final moments they would likely spend with each other. "No… you must… go after him…"

"We found him once, we can find him again. Now let me just get you on my shoulder…" The apprentice said as he leaned over and grasped the Master's good arm, trying to leverage him over his shoulder. Instead the master shook loose from his apprentice's efforts and said with added strength.

"By the force Lucien will you just listen to me?!" Whether it was by intention or shock, it seemed the situation hadn't quite sunk in for the apprentice until this moment. He had clung to hope, but by the look his master gave him… his hope soon wavered.

The Jedi let loose a wet cough before trying to continue speaking, his haggard breath rasping out the following words: "You must contact the council and report what…. What has happened… here. You must find him…"

As Lucien took his master's hand in his, and the tears began to well up in his eyes, the weight of this moment then struck him. He never remembered his parents, as was common place with most Jedi. This man who lay dying before him was the closest thing to family he had. Jedi Master Keiran F'dor was always a man who showed interest in the young padawans of the academy, but he always showed particular interest in Lucien. Before he was even chosen to be Master F'dor's apprentice, Lucien's earliest memories of the man were that of deep, soul searching talks. This man had taught him how to deal with his emotions when they got the best of him, or at least tried to…

He also taught him to never stop asking why and why not, and how to be the man he was now with all of his strengths and weaknesses. He loved him like a father, and here he was dying in some random part of the galaxy, a place where thousands upon thousands had faded into obscurity.

He clasped his master's hand as the life began to flow from his eyes, and they looked at each other for what would be the final time. The great Master F'dor looked deep into his apprentice's eyes, the young boy who didn't quite fit in and carried himself with uncertainty, who now stood before him as a man. Not just a man, but a Jedi who made him proud. "I never had a son… but…"

He paused as more blood forced itself through his mouth with another vicious cough. "But… you are mine…"

As soon as the words left his lips, Lucien could see the life leave his master's body with one final gasp of air. He remained there, crouched over the lifeless form of his master with a dumbstruck expression on his face. He looked on, past the man's eyes, as if through him and into the earth beneath.

_He remembered the dimly lit halls of the temple on Tython, the greenery and life that flowed as one with the force around him. He was naturally curious, always found amongst nature and always wondering how life worked. He distinctly remembered the sight of a small furry creature in the meditation garden, scampering to and fro in search of food. Dark thoughts would always pass in his mind, and he never knew why. _

_One moment he would smile with joy at the sight of creatures like this, and yet another he wondered what they looked like on the inside… what made them tick. Would that animal be missed? Then the day came that Master Keiran told him of his decision to take him on as his apprentice. He kept the darkness at bay, the thoughts that haunted his mind every so often. _

'_There is no emotion, there is peace.'_

'_There is no ignorance, there is knowledge.'_

'_There is no passion, there is serenity.'_

'_There is no death, there is the force.'_

_His master's voice rang in his mind even now, reciting the tenants of the Jedi Order. He learned that a Jedi's life was sacrifice, that passion and emotion led to the dark side…_

…_That the force worked in mysterious ways._

_But that wasn't what he felt now. All of those thoughts rang hollow in his mind as he looked at the cold form of his master. All he could feel was pain. Pain and loneliness… _

_And hatred._

_As his eyes welled up with tears and they streamed down his face, all he could feel was the burning, seething feeling of hatred. He had to center himself but he couldn't bring himself to do so. It didn't feel right. It didn't feel natural. Revenge… that is what felt natural; so primal… so raw… so… right._

His head rested upon his hand as he still held on to the limp hand of his former teacher, one final oath spoken between mentor and student.

"I will find him… master…"


	2. Requiem

Chapter 2: Requiem

Alone, in a dark and scarcely adorned room with merely a bed, a chair in the corner and a closet, sat a young man with his legs crossed over each other in a meditative pose. His eyes were closed, his breath steady as he recalled again the events that occurred that fateful day in the outer rim.

_The scent of burned flesh, the sight of his once great master dead on the ground…_

"_I will find him… Master…" He said with barely contained rage, releasing his grasp on his master's hand. He heard a sound behind him, faint… hushed but still there. He wheeled about to see the scrambling of a Sith officer pulling himself out from the wreckage some distance away. Lucien's jaw tightened at the sight of him, and found himself bounding toward the labored man with the speed only someone in tune with the force could achieve. He closed the distance within moments and with a firm shove, pushed the man down into the sand. _

_The officer issued a grunt of pain and exhaustion, a bit unsure why he found himself again on the ground. It wasn't until he was flipped onto his back that the look of pure terror etched itself on his face. With a vicious hiss, the blue light of a lightsaber blade floated mere inches from his face, a stone-faced Lucien staring him in the eye. "Where did your master go?" He said with a stern, threatening growl. _

_The last thing Lucien remembered was the evil, sickening grin of his foe, tattoos lining his arms, wrinkles and the ever present indications of the dark side visible near his eyes and mouth, certain strength still visible despite his age as he bounded from the room and into the hanger bay, Lucien left clutching the writhing form of his master as screams of pain uncontrollably spilled from his mouth. _

_He vaguely heard the voice of the officer held in his grip, and screamed the question once again: "Where is Rot'um?!" _

_Rot'um. That name would forever be etched in his mind. Both he and his master were sent to capture him, something about him rebelling against the Empire. The Jedi Council felt he could be a potential asset… instead it cost them much and more._

_Again he heard the Officer's voice, but the unbridled rage blurred his vision and muffled his hearing, as if he were being talked to under water. He threw the man off to the side, the force of the throw launching him clear to the other side of the wreckage of the bunker ruins. He soon followed as he threw himself in the air, landing over the man with his terrified gaze. _

"_He isn't here! I don't know where he went off… off to!"_

_Those words he heard clearly, which did not sate his rage. With one fluid stroke, he lifted the officer off the ground once again by the throat, his grip tightening into a fist as the gurgled sounds of struggle could be heard. The force flowed so easily through him. It felt… real. It felt… exhilarating._

_He soon blacked out, only to come to with the lifeless form of the Imperial officer in his hands. A look of disbelief soon replaced the rage that filled his eyes, and no sooner had he cast the body from his hands did he collapse to his knees, and let out a loud scream of pain that filled the air around him._

And it was then that his eyes opened. His breathing had intensified and sweat streaked down his brow. His jet black hair grew slick, his braid no longer there as it hung freely down to his neck. He remembered that fateful day as if it were yesterday, and the pain still hung there. It had been two years however, and he had grown much since then. Because of him surviving those events, and the 'strength' he demonstrated, the Council saw fit to dub him a Jedi Knight. He could never admit what happened after his Master's death, and the one more unknown body that lay buried in the sands of Tatooine.

A part of him felt ashamed for what he had done, even though it felt so right back then. He felt he was just now started on the path to peace and acceptance over what happened, but that in and of itself made him feel unworthy of the trust afforded him now. It was through the wisdom of the council that his assignment was here at the Temple on Tython as a keeper of the archives. He was thankful for that at least, being away from the galaxy at large to center himself and try and find balance. He still remembered the promise he made to his master that day though, and it rang through his mind every day. _'I will find him… master.'_

Even though he trusted in the wisdom of the council, he couldn't help but feel he had betrayed his master by not pushing the issue more. At first he did, insisting on the import of pursuing him and the urgency of the situation. It didn't do any good though. Even though they had managed to track him down fairly easily, the Sith Lord had a penchant for disappearing quite well in fact. Of course, if he were trying to hide from the Empire they had betrayed, Lucien would probably get good at hiding too.

He would likely have spent a fruitless year of searching, being a slave to his emotions.

'_There is no emotion, there is peace.'_

As he meditated on his past and more importantly how to atone for it, a high pitched beep could be heard from the folds of his tunic. He did not need to look to see what that beep was for. It was time for him to report for his duties at the archives and relieve Master Handren.

He slowly rose from his cross-legged position, smoothing the rippled edges of his deep black tunic. He reached over to his bed where his brown colored robe rested, pulling it up and over and hanging loosely off his frame. He then took his lightsaber and clipped it to his belt, looking at himself in the mirror before leaving and making his way to the archives. One thing could be said about the Jedi Temple, and it was the embodiment of what the order stood for. It was modest, although beautiful in its own right with towering columns lining the halls, the ceiling reaching up high as if it were the aspirations of the order itself, and statues of figures memorialized, from Master Vandar, Master Vrook, Bastilla, and so forth. His boots rang through the halls as they met the marble floors, his eyes passing over the legendary figures of old.

With relative ease he made it to the archives, only to be greeted by a busied, aged human wearing a cream colored tunic which contrasted with his faded skin tone. The back of his head looked very much like an egg, with hardly a strand of hair visible upon his bare scalp. His facial features revealed a man hard lived, chiseled from stone and unchanging with an eternal look of displeasure and annoyance. "You took your time getting here, didn't you Master Grae?" the librarian quipped as Lucien passed him, his hard eyes appraising him intently.

"Only what time was necessary to arrive…" Lucien retorted, not even looking the older man in the eye as he walked around to the other side of the table, passively checking some of the camera feeds positioned throughout the archives. He didn't have to look up, as Master Handren let out a rather audible snarl, returning his attention to his computer terminal.

One would never think it possible, but his already bad mood grew even darker as he read one line of text In particular. "It looks like you have a legitimate excuse to not be here after all. Master Uelan wants to speak with you in his quarters." This time, Lucien met the salty Jedi's gaze, who seemed to revert to his normal craggy state. "Well you best not keep him waiting!"

With merely an arch in his eyebrow, Lucien met the Librarian's gaze for several drawn out moments before moving on. As his boots once again carried him throughout the halls of the Jedi Temple, he wondered why Master Uelan wanted to meet with him today. Aside from meeting him in passing, the last time they had spoken at length was over a year ago, when he received his appointment as a Jedi Knight.

_The council chamber was their last meeting place, if memory served. It had only been a few months since his return from Tatooine, the sting of his master's death still fresh in his mind, still conflicted within himself. He tried well to hide his conflict, to try and stand amongst these masters of the force who had spent their whole lives searching through deception to find the truth. He stood no chance and he knew it. He wondered what fate he would meet. He wasn't sure what all they had picked up on, but how could they not know what had happened? _

_Whatever misgivings or uncertainty he had would soon be laid bare as one of them broke the silence: a strong and wizened green-skinned Twi'lek with a deceivingly soft voice. "Do you know why you are here, Padawan?"_

_His mind searched for an answer. He had an idea why he was here, but did he __**know**__ why? He turned to the faces of the council, some more recognizable than others, some he had known since childhood as he was raised around them. "I have my suspicions master, but I am not sure. I suspect it is with regard to the events that occurred on Tatooine?"_

_His voice was also soft, carrying the same uncertainty he felt inside. 'This is going well…' he mused sardonically. Another Jedi, a female Cathar with her soft brown hair tied in a bun behind her head said in her feline tone: "You are not far off, Padawan. The council has spoken at length of your report on what happened on Tatooine. We have waited this long to speak with you for… obvious reasons."_

_It was a kindness, really. He was barely able to give them the report he did at the time, a numb feeling nearly overtaking him from the loss he suffered. Whether he was better or not now wasn't quite for sure. He wasn't quite himself, but he at least had the mental clarity to speak on the incident now verses three months ago. _

"_We all could sense the conflict and turmoil within your heart that day, and wished to observe how you would cope with it until this point." The Twi'lek continued: "I still sense a conflict within you, which is still understandable." _

_Master Uelan's words hung in the air for a moment, and it was then that Lucien understood it was meant to draw him out. "I would be lying if I said I am not pained by what happened that day. But it is the words of my master that has thus been able to hold me together…"_

_Although he felt what he did inside, his face was stone, unmovable. He had cried, he had screamed, and he was tired of it all. All he wanted to do was fulfill the oath he swore to his master, to find the man responsible for his death. _

"_That is good." Master Uelan replied, smiling slightly as he gazed upon the young padawan before him. "It is never easy losing a master and good friend. You are handling it better than most."_

'_If only you knew the half of it.' Lucien once again mused, bowing his head out of deference. _

_A silence once again ensued, as if out of respect for the fallen. A third voice broke the silence, coming from the holographic image of a Pantoran male with greyed hair and a deep, baritone voice with his thick accent: "And with regard to your petition to continue the hunt for Lord Rot'um, the council has decided that we should take a more passive approach thus far."_

_Those words struck Lucien as if a knife were jabbed into his chest. It took everything he had within him to bite his lip and keep from shouting at him. It was a good idea he did so._

"_He is an exile from his own people, and has suffered a crippling blow to his power base. We have some of our agents on the task, keeping their eyes open. But we have something different in mind for you…"_

_And here it came. A peaceful existence as a farmer? Relegation to a servant of the halls to tend to the basic needs of the other Jedi? He wasn't certain of how things would play out, but he was almost certain it would involve something along those lines. How could a Jedi kill a beaten man without there being repurcussions?_

"_The Council has seen fit to appoint you as a Knight of the Jedi Order. Not many young ones would have the mental and physical fortitude to make it through what you did on Tatooine." Master Uelan continued, his green face revealing a much wider smile at the news. _

_Lucien was dumbstruck, to say the least. He was tempted to ask if they had the right padawan in here, but before he could say a word, all the members of the council raised up to their feet, lightsabers in hand. The lights of the council chambers dimmed down, until they completely shut off and encased the room in darkness. With deafening hisses, blue, green, yellow, purple, and all colors in between save one shot out from the master's hilts, casting a rainbow like glow through the room. "Step forward, Padawan." _

_Wordlessly, Lucien stepped forward. He wasn't sure who uttered those words, although that was likely because he didn't quite know what to think as of yet. He instinctively approached the green form of Master Uelan, encased in the green hue of his saber which only intensified his green skin. With voices in unison, all the masters began a chant as old as time itself._

"_There is no emotion, there is peace."_

"_There is no ignorance, there is knowledge."_

"_There is no passion, there is serenity."_

"_There is no chaos, there is harmony."_

"_There is no death, there is the force."_

_Those words, as they flew through the air, washed over Lucien like a refreshing tide. It was odd. Only moments prior, he was uncertain of his future and where he would be, and now a definite calm and settled in upon him. He was unsure if he deserved this honor, this privilege of privileges given to him, but that all didn't matter now. His mind was telling him one thing, but his heart another, his heart soothed to the point of no return. _

"_Kneel." The Twi'lek Jedi said firmly, of which Lucien obeyed. With one deft, swift flick of the wrists, his green hued blade sliced the braid that indicated the young human's rank within the order, his hair now freely hanging loose and unbridled. _

"_Rise now, as one of us." _

And that he did. He entered that room as a Padawan who felt all was over for him, and left a Jedi Knight. And now he stood just outside the room of the man who over a year past had made that official, steeling his nerve as if he were still that nervous apprentice. With a deep breath, he stepped through the door and into the Master's chambers.

The same strong figure sat within, in the same posture Lucien was in earlier this morning. His eyes were closed, a picture of peace and serenity. Before the young knight had a chance to speak, the Twi'lek's soft voice beat him to it. "Please have a seat Knight Grae."

After a moment's pause, Lucien relented and removed his robe, hanging it on the rack near the entrance. He then took a seat next to the master; his legs crossed over themselves, and let out a light sigh. After a few moments more, Master Uelan opened his eyes which then flicked over to the knight next to him. The same smile he had back then etched itself upon his face. "I'm glad you have come, Lucien."

"Far be it from me to reject the invitation of a member of the Jedi Council, especially if it means I can let Master Handren fume a bit longer."

Some would say Lucien was a bit too casual with the Jedi Master, but the smile on the Twi'lek's face said something completely different. "He is a bit of a cranky old man isn't he… although not for a lack of a reason."

Lucien returned the Twi'lek's grin with a smirk of his own, but remained silent in the hopes his reason for being here would be expounded upon, since members of the Jedi Council rarely summoned others for mere conversation.

Soon his curiosity was addressed: "Well, my friend… I have summoned you here for an important reason as you no doubt have suspected…" Uelan began. Unlike that time a short while ago, Lucien had no idea why he had been summoned, even after his reflection on the way here.

"Yes master, although I am not sure why exactly."

Uelan let out a deep sigh before he continued, his eyes squinting as if he were grasping for the appropriate train of thought. "There were some on the council who felt you weren't quite ready to become a knight."

'…Ok…' Lucien mentally replied, wondering where this was going. He had never heard of a Knight being removed, although he supposed it was something that had happened before. He much preferred hearing out what the master had to say than engaging in supposition.

"Some felt that whatever you experienced on Tatooine had affected you for the worse, and wanted to give you more hands-on assistance. Others could feel the deep turmoil in your heart…"

His words trailed off in the distance as Lucien's mind briefly reverted to that fateful day. 'So I was right…'

"But, largely we were all impressed with how you handled yourself. The fact you returned was impressive enough. But I personally felt you haven't quite recovered fully with regard to what happened. Would I be right?"

It was Lucien's turn to take a moment to consider how to respond. Finally, he did. "Yes…"

"I thought so." Uelan commented: "And the council and I have come to a decision that will likely help you bring this whole matter to a finish."

Now he was genuinely uncertain of what was going to happen next. He always thought his assignment in the archives was a way of accomplishing that in the eyes of the council, and it was very likely it was the doing of a few members. But what was this Twi'lek planning? Several more moments that felt like an eternity passed by, and finally his thirst for knowledge was sated.

"We have a good lead on the whereabouts of the Sith Lord Rot'um."

'Whaa…' It was as his master had said long ago, that the force worked itself out in mysterious ways. Many questions floated in his mind, but he waited still as the master voiced what else he wished to say.

"I, along with the council, personally feel that you are ideally suited to follow up on this. If you can effectively face this foe, you will have the opportunity to bring closure to what has happened. But it will also offer you a final test for you to pass. Are you up for it?"

He hardly needed a moment to respond. "Where do I start?"


End file.
